BIRDS. 43 



Tarsus partly or entirely feathered, as is also the nasal 

 groove ; sides of neck usually with bare skin or pecul- 

 iar feathers Tetkaonid.e, 49. 



Tarsus and nasal groove un feathered ; no peculiar feathers 

 on neck Perdicida:, 50. 



M. FAMILIES OF LIMICOL^. 



I. Toeslobate; tarsus notably compressed ; body depressed. 



' PlIALAHOPODID.I^:, 54. 



II. Toes not lobate ; tarsus not specially compressed. 



* Legs exceedingly long; tarsus as long as tail ; bill much 

 longer than head, slender, acute, and curved upwards; feet 

 4-toed and palmate, or 3-toed and semipalmate. 



Recukvikostuid/E, 53. 



** Bill usually shorter than head, pigeon-like, the broad, soft 

 base separated by a constriction fi'om the hard tip ; head 

 sul)-globose, on a short neck; tarsus reticulate; toes o 

 (except in tyquatdvola). . . . Ciiakadkiid.^:, 51. 



*** Bill usually longer than head, mostly grooved, not con- 

 stricted, softish to its tip: tarsus scutellate; toes 4 (except 

 in Calidris) Scolopacid.^:, 55. 



**** Not as above; bill hard, either compressed and truncate, 

 or acute; feet 4-toed and cleft, or 3-toed and semipalmate. 



IL*:matopodid.i^:, 52. 



N. FAMILIES OF HERODIONES. 



I. Bill long, straight, acute ; middle claw pectinate. Ardeid/e, 56. 



II. Bill curved downwards, or else flat and spoon-shaped. 



Tantalid^, 57. 



0. FAMILIES OF ALECTORIDES. 



I. Very large; length 36 or more, with excessively long neck and 



legs; toes shorter than tarsus; bill contracted at the middle. 



Gkuidac, 58. 



II. Smaller, length 18 or less, with comparatively short neck and 



legs; toes as long as tarsus; bill not contracted. 



Ralltd^e, 59. 



